Tuscan home cooking from the city of Lucca

Imagine flying all the way to a small, little-known city in Tuscany only to find another fellow Singaporean. That’s what happened to Chef Wayne and Simon Seah, the Managing Director if Lucca’s Trattoria. The bond they shared over simple, authentic Tuscan food was instant and they paired up give Singaporeans a taste of what the city of Lucca has to offer.

Having spent 20-years cooking in various restaurants, Chef Wayne took a month long sabbatical in Italy to learn more about the cuisine. Invigorated by his experience, the menu features pastas and pizzas made from scratch using only natural ingredients.

Hearty Italian dishes

Pasta is made fresh every day at Lucca’s Trattoria, you can even watch it happen in their pasta making corner. The fresh tagliatelle has a rough surface that helps the marsala and beurre monté sauce better adhere to the pasta. The pasta also has a good bite in contrast to the creaminess of the chicken liver.

Not to be missed are Lucca’s pizzas. Hand-opened by the chefs, the dough is made using special grade flour imported from Italy, making it tastier and chewier than regular pizza dough. We also recommend the Gorgonzolla e Frutta pizza ($18/$23), an unusual mix of sweet dried fruits with crumbled gorgonzola.

Don’t skip dessert

Instead of the usual Kahlúa tiramisu, Lucca’s uses an authentic recipe that soaks Lady’s Fingers in Sicilian Marsala wine and espresso. The generous dollop of mascarpone cheese mousse was lusciously dense. The portion was also generous considering the $10 price tag.

Lucca’s also makes their gelato in house. Having tried a slew of Pistachio Gelatos across Singapore, I can safely say that Lucca’s gelato is one of the best I’ve ever had. Thick, creamy and robust, I only wish they had a one pint tub I could takeaway.